Antigone's Tragic Characteristics

Summary: An overview of "Antigone" by Sophocles and the characteristics of Antigone herself. Antigone is considered a tragic hero, because she makes a choice that leads to a situation from which there is no escape; she fights against impossible odds; and she dies for the sake of her cause.

Antigone

Antigone was written by Sophocles in Thebes, Athens. It mixes the elements of anarchy, hope, pride and love all into one narrative. There are a lot of tragedies in this piece of literary work. Antigone is considered as one of the tragic characters. She makes a choice that leads to a situation from which there is no escape, she fights against impossible odds and she dies.

First, Antigone makes a choice that leads to a situation from which there is no escape. She made the choice to bury her brother properly. "Ismene, I am going to bury him" (Antigone Prologue. 31). Even though death would be the result of this event, she was still determined. If she would have not made this decision, the tragedy would never have become a masterpiece. Antigone wanted to do the right thing for her brother.